Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra (Nov 2014)

The Pattern of Brain Amyloid Load in Posterior Cortical Atrophy Using 18F-AV45: Is Amyloid the Principal Actor in the Disease

  • Emilie Beaufils,
  • Maria Joao Ribeiro,
  • Emilie Vierron,
  • Johnny Vercouillie,
  • Diane Dufour-Rainfray,
  • Jean-Philippe Cottier,
  • Vincent Camus,
  • Karl Mondon,
  • Denis Guilloteau,
  • Caroline Hommet

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1159/000363761
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 3
pp. 431 – 441

Abstract

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Background: Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is characterized by progressive higher-order visuoperceptual dysfunction and praxis declines. This syndrome is related to a number of underlying diseases, including, in most cases, Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was to compare the amyloid load with 18F-AV45 positron emission tomography (PET) between PCA and AD subjects. Methods: We performed 18F-AV45 PET, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker analysis and a neuropsychological assessment in 11 PCA patients and 12 AD patients. Results: The global and regional 18F-AV45 uptake was similar in the PCA and AD groups. No significant correlation was observed between global 18F-AV45 uptake and CSF biomarkers or between regional 18F-AV45 uptake and cognitive and affective symptoms. Conclusion: This 18F-AV45 PET amyloid imaging study showed no specific regional pattern of cortical 18F-AV45 binding in PCA patients. These results confirm that a distinct clinical phenotype in amnestic AD and PCA is not related to amyloid distribution.

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